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Voting for Spinney

After this town meeting I will step down as first selectman of Alna and either Melissa Spinney or Shannon Cotta will take the job. I’m voting for Melissa, and here’s why.

I have been first selectman on and off for 20 years. It is not a job you just step into. Most citizens don’t realize how much time the job takes, or how complicated it can be. Alna must live with all the same complicated laws, rules, tax, budget,and spending details that the City of Portland does; the only thing different is the scale.

Mr. Cotta seems like a sincere and earnest person, but he has no experience in town government. The time it takes to learn the job will not be beneficial to the town.

Doug and I have worked with Melissa for three years now. She is quiet and reserved – and extremely competent. She is detail-oriented and has a good administrative head, and that is what the job requires. She is also, a very hard worker and is willing to take on extra work if necessary.

What she is not is a politician, no more than I am, which is why she has not been out campaigning. First selectman is an administrative job, and you should look to hire a good administrator.She knows a lot about the administrative part of the job, and doesn’t have to learn from scratch.

This is the first letter to the editor I have written in my life, but there are two very important questions on the ballot on March 23. I’m going to vote for Melissa and I’m going to vote “Yes” to make our school choice system fair to parents and to taxpayers.

Thank you for trusting me to manage your town for all these years. I’ve enjoyed it.